Wyrd Forest

Name: Wyrd Forest
Type: Small feudal holding
Location: Metamor Valley, southeast of Lorland
Ruler: Baron Fredrick the Pacific
Overlord: Duke Thomas V of Metamor

Overview

Southwest of Lorland, tucked against the mountains lies Wyrd Forest which, as its name suggests, is a largely wooded area west of the Metamor River and away from the main roads. In centuries back the Hassan line of Northern Midland Dukes gifted the scenic but rugged location to the House of Arlo as a secondary holding, though through inheritance and splintering of family lines the current House of Markus owns the land. They, however, own no other holdings and thus rely on Wyrd Forest as their only noble title. The barony ran well when it was a "summer resort" of the House of Arlo, but in current times it is a run down, dilapidated holding that has seen its population dwindle and its infrastructure whittle to nothing more than a few buildings and farms.

The inhabitants numbered just over a hundred in a census taken prior to the Battle of Three Gates, but now are believed to number significantly less than that.

Baron Fredrick the Pacific of the House of Markus is the current ruler of Wyrd Forest, though there is little ruling that he actually performs. The Baron spends most of his time wasting time playing with his ability to shift between a toddler and teenager, and is frequently disinterested in the affairs of state, limited as they are. As a result, most of the actually day to day affairs of the diminutive barony are run by the steward/head of the guards, Griff Sen.

Notable locations

Baron Fredrick's Estate - The Baron often refers to his estate as a "palace," despite all evidence to the contrary. While it is genuinely far more hospitable than any surrounding structures, it in fact resembles little more than a fairly decorated mead hall combined with a small manor.

Bandit's Cave - Base of operations of Vile Thief Barhat also the home to Munus a giant centipede morph who's lost the ability to speak (though he can screech).¹ It also seems to have a dragon. The Bandit's Cave is a carved tunnel² from the Wyrd Forest side with odd markings on the wall. Past this section it leads to an even greater section of natural caves, though their is an exit. This exit leads to a valley with extremely high walls on all sides, though there is a pass out.

Long Pass - Gath Djilla, a giant, somehow wandered down various passes to get to the end valley where Griff and Oonsus met him.³ Other creatures, like lutins, have likely discovered it and use it to circumvent the valley proper.⁴ Sealing the Bandit's Cave would likely prevent further invasions of this sort.

Footnotes

1. Munus is very hungry most of the time and is not particular about the source of meat.

2. Griff estimates that it would have taken an army of workers years to carve out the tunnel by mundane means and does not know when or why it was made. Its opening is extremely well-hidden, but could be found from the ground. That no one has, or has reported it, worries Griff.

3. The passes to the far west are likely part of an old Suielman road that, if followed, would lead to the ruins of the Amber Order. These roads should remain unknown to most people, however, and are likely in such a state of disrepair that only a trained eye could tell they even were roads instead of natural passes.

4. In To Snare a Rabbit it's mentioned that a horde of almost fifty lutins had attacked the Wyrd Forest the previous fall and Griff was unsure how they managed to get there since, before discovering the cave system, he thought they'd have had to have traversed the whole valley to do so.